At long last, our trekking has begun in earnest and we have reached our first important destination. This morning, we set out from Phakding for iconic and historic Namche Bazar. This is always one of the most difficult days of any Everest region journey. The trek is roughly 8 miles long with an altitude gain of over 3,000 feet. The first four hours wind through a spectacular river valley with incredible views, many suspension bridges and challenging ascents and descents. The last four hours are straight up and punishing after crossing the unforgettable Hillary Bridge. Yak and mule trains are frequent and, while fun to watch, they can be dangerous and challenging to cope with. Namche itself is the central hub of the most popular trekking and climbing routes to the world’s highest peaks including Everest. You share the trail with people from every country in the world and hear a hundred different languages. Arriving in Namche puts you at an altitude of 11,400 feet and your body begins to feel the effects of lower oxygen levels. Our first acclimatization or “rest day” will be tomorrow when, like many others, we will hike to the famous Everest View Hotel at 12,900 feet and then return to Namche to rest while our bodies adjust to the lack of oxygen. It will be the first of two such hikes to prepare us for our final altitude of 18,529 feet where the oxygen level is about 50% of that at sea level. At the end of this great day we are tired and sore but feeling great and ready to press onward. Here are a few photos and videos of this unforgettable day.
Our day started miles down this valley.
A mule team crosses the Hillary Bridge.
After arriving exhausted in Namche, which looks like an immense amphitheater, we still had another 20 minutes of steep climbing to get to our hotel. You just have to laugh.
Great pictures!
ReplyDeleteGlad you are enjoying them. What an amazing adventure this has been!
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